On one hand, the Pavement in this outdoor space is part of the landscape design of your yard that is typically conspicuous if located at the front. Whether you use stones, bricks, marble, rubberized cover, asphalt or concrete as pavement, it must blend well with the landscape design motif.

Your choice of design and materials used, and even the driveway paving cost, can help enhance your property’s aesthetic appeal and help it stand out in the neighbourhood.

On the other hand, the safety of your vehicle while entering or exiting your property is largely dependent on the pavement. Traction is crucial when you are manoeuvring your vehicle, particularly when it is raining. This is especially true if your driveway has a steep incline. You can prevent accidents if the wheels of your vehicle have good traction with the pavement surface.

Marble-paved or ceramic tile-paved driveways may be very attractive, but they are not the safest types of paving. The surfaces of these materials do not have sufficient friction that could prevent your car from sliding or skidding if the ground is wet. As such, it’s best to choose a reliable material to maintain the integrity of your driveway.

On that note, here are some tips that you can follow to maintain the aesthetics, structure and functionality of your driveway.

1. Regularly clean your driveway

If you have a concrete, brick or stone-paved driveway, moss may accumulate on the surface, and this will result in a slippery surface. In order to prevent this, you should regularly clean your driveway at least once every two weeks. You must thoroughly brush the surface or use high-pressure, warm water to blast the surface dirt.

You may use detergent if you have a ceramic or marble-paved driveway. To kill the moss or fungus or grass that are already growing on the surface, use a mild herbicide or a bleaching agent. Mix sodium hypochlorite with warm water to wash the pavement.

2. Periodically replace damaged parts

You do not necessarily have to remove the entire old pavement if only some parts are damaged. This is easier to do for driveways with tiled bricks, stones or interlocking pavers. If one portion is damaged, you may simply replace the corresponding areas.

However, if the pavement is poured concrete, the cracks could haphazardly extend to other areas. You may pour new concrete on the affected areas, but the driveway may not be as structurally sound as before. It is possible that some of the foundation soil has already eroded. You may need to remove the entire pavement and re-strengthen the foundation before pouring new concrete.

3. Remove the clogs in the drainage

A good driveway must have proper drainage, especially if it has an incline. The rainwater must be redirected away from the center of the driveway and into the sides. Often, the simple solution is to include gutters. Some contractors also include drainage holes spread on the surface of the driveway. The flow of rainwater is redirected through drainage pipes.

Silt, oil, grease, leaves, small pebbles and other debris may clog the pipes. You need to remove the obstructions to allow the water to flow freely. Otherwise, pools of water might form on some parts of the driveway surface. Consequently, the surface will become slippery and cracks may also form.

Depending on the type and extent of the blockage, you could use a combination of mechanical declogging tools and chemical declogging agents like sodium hydroxide.

4. Reseal the pavement every one to three years

Depending on the local weather or climate conditions, and also depending on the pavement materials, you may seal and reseal the surface every one to three years. Sealing and resealing should be regularly done for concrete-poured pavements. The process prevents water from penetrating the surface, and it also prevents weeds from growing on the surface.

While some property owners wish to make driveway maintenance a DIY task, it is recommended that you hire professionals, especially if the pavement has to be totally replaced. You can save time, effort and money in the process.

Often, it is more expensive to have DIY repair or replacement done if you are not very knowledgeable about the process and you ended up damaging your property. So be sure to have the number of a trusted paving company handy.